Redshirts take grievance over voting watchdog campaign to UN

[webfact]

Redshirts take grievance over voting watchdog campaign to UN

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter


Soldiers raid a Redshirts’ referendum monitoring center on Sunday in Khon Kaen province.

BANGKOK — Furious Redshirt leaders told the United Nations yesterday the military government violated their rights by shutting down their referendum monitoring operation.

The recent crackdown in which soldiers shut down several monitoring offices was seen by junta critics as evidence the Aug. 7 vote on the charter draft will not be transparent, as authorities insisted the public cannot act as observers for potential fraud.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2016/06/21/redshirts-air-grievance-u-n-quashed-voting-watchdog-campaign/


-- Khaosod English 2016-06-22

[tbthailand]

They just need to be patient....

And wait for that "mature democracy".

[trogers]

Your leader and sponsor once said, "The UN is not my father"!

[greenchair]

In the other thread about the UN,they said any organisation can take part in observations, but they would not be allowed at the polling stations.

? this is so confusing.

Yes, they can have a monitoring committee .

No, they can't.

Yes, they can.

No, they can't.

It's against the law (maybe ).

Let me check they say.

I am seriously confused these days.

[JAG]

Maybe the headline should read:

" Local Army chief in Khon Kaen decides it's time to show he is the boss!"

[The stuttering parrot]

You won't see that picture in the TAT promotions.

[thesetat2013]

In the other thread about the UN,they said any organisation can take part in observations, but they would not be allowed at the polling stations.

this is so confusing.

Yes, they can have a monitoring committee .

No, they can't.

Yes, they can.

No, they can't.

It's against the law (maybe ).

Let me check they say.

I am seriously confused these days.

So you are beginning to understand thainess now

[LostTourist]

Maybe the headline should read:

" Local Army chief in Khon Kaen decides it's time to show he is the boss!"

Sounds like there is too many Indians and not enough Chief's

[selftaopath]

In the other thread about the UN,they said any organisation can take part in observations, but they would not be allowed at the polling stations.

? this is so confusing.

Yes, they can have a monitoring committee .

No, they can't.

Yes, they can.

No, they can't.

It's against the law (maybe ).

Let me check they say.

I am seriously confused these days.

LOL That's Thailand in a "NUT shell." I've found very little consistency with the exception of rampant corruption, nepotism, and un-enforced laws.

[halloween]

Suddenly it's not UDD, it's red shirts protesting to the UN. Because if the UDD take a protest to the UN, the UN might just ask "Who are you, again?" and explaining how they came to be the spokesmen for the downtrodden could get a little bit complicated.

[JAG]

Maybe the headline should read:

" Local Army chief in Khon Kaen decides it's time to show he is the boss!"

Sounds like there is too many Indians and not enough Chief's

One can say a lot of things about the RTA, some complimentary, some less so, but one accusation which really cannot be levelled at them is to suggest that they have too many "Indians" and not enough "Chiefs"!

:)

[smedly]

maybe while they are at it they could explain to the UN who they are - who voted them into office - who funds them and why, what gives them the right to act in any official manner or represt others and what they have done and are responsible for over the last decade

[maoro2013]

A foreign overview is also not tolerated.

Democracy at its finest.

[Pimay1]

Poor babies.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Pimay1

[JAG]

maybe while they are at it they could explain to the UN who they are - who voted them into office - who funds them and why, what gives them the right to act in any official manner or represt others and what they have done and are responsible for over the last decade

Why not? The General who seized power a couple of years ago. and now heads up a militay junta ruling without any democratic mandate or representation has. we are told, just spent 25 minutes on the phone to the Secretary General of the UN doing more or less that!

[Eric Loh]

Seem only the UDD taking a lead role in keeping the junta decent for the referendum. The junta should just allow the centers to function. They just there to help the junta to detect fraud. Why is the junta so afraid of transparency. They should thank the UDD for using their resources to help make the referendum credible and give the junta a better image after they staged an illegal coup and caused a global PR meltdown.

[jcsmith]

I can't believe anyone still supports this government. Just because you don't like the reds, doesn't mean you should buy into the anyone the them solution. That's what brought us to this point. When Suthep shut down the cities, preventing elections from taking place, shouted for people to kidnap the PM, people looked the other way. Now we're at this point, with a undemocratic charter, that you can't even speak out against without fear of an attitude adjustment. People who suggest monitoring the election get shut down, and no observers will be allowed to monitor the voting? If you described this situation to anyone three years ago they would have thought you were talking about Myanmar. Now it's okay.

If your reading this and thinking that is the way that it should be, then you should be ashamed of yourself.

Edited June 22, 2016 by jcsmith

[yellowboat]

maybe while they are at it they could explain to the UN who they are - who voted them into office - who funds them and why, what gives them the right to act in any official manner or represt others and what they have done and are responsible for over the last decade

Somebody has to say something. Do you trust the current government to carry out anything that is fair or impartial ? If the good general truly wants to reform the Thai government and reconciliation, why does he resist some sort of oversight ?

[Winniedapu]

Your leader and sponsor once said, "The UN is not my father"!

But but but... Thaksin.

W

[Thechook]

In the other thread about the UN,they said any organisation can take part in observations, but they would not be allowed at the polling stations.

? this is so confusing.

Yes, they can have a monitoring committee .

No, they can't.

Yes, they can.

No, they can't.

It's against the law (maybe ).

Let me check they say.

I am seriously confused these days.

what about the general's comment, what country would allow observers? This was whilst he was packing his bag to head off to the Philippines to observe the elections.

[SABloke]

Wait, did they address the chamber and I missed it? If not, they didn't really tell the UN anything. Maybe they sent a letter to a local clerk

[Winniedapu]

Maybe the headline should read:

" Local Army chief in Khon Kaen decides it's time to show he is the boss!"

Sounds like there is too many Indians and not enough Chief's

In Thailand, every Indian is a Chief, or mistakes himself for one..

It's all a part of their charm and management expertise.

Sort of like... herding cats.

Winnie

[Broken Record]

maybe while they are at it they could explain to the UN who they are - who voted them into office - who funds them and why, what gives them the right to act in any official manner or represt others and what they have done and are responsible for over the last decade

Somebody has to say something. Do you trust the current government to carry out anything that is fair or impartial ? If the good general truly wants to reform the Thai government and reconciliation, why does he resist some sort of oversight ?

Anybody with an ounce of Intelligence knows the reason the Army took over and why the General was made PM, and it's got nothing at all to do with the happiness of the Thai people.

It's more to do with the happiness and security of just a few ultra wealthy and privileged Thai people.

I doubt very much Prayut wanted to become Prime Minister, I would wager he was quite content in his previous position, it certainly paid well, he's worth an absolute fortune and there's not a chance he could ever account for his total seeable wealth, and that's not even touching his no doubt incredible unseen wealth hidden away in foreign accounts, being PM has put him under scrutiny, laws have been made to protect him from accountability, for now that is, until he's of no use to the people that really control Thailand and it's wealth.

Difficult position for him really, he has got away with blatant mass corruption, laws have been created to protect him, the only people who can say anything or do anything about him won't do anything as long as he does what he's told, if he doesn't he stands a good chance of losing everything, because his replacement who will do what they are told would be in his seat in an instant while he awaits investigation as to how he became so incredibly rich.

I doubt he wanted this at all.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Broken Record

[mike324]

Seem only the UDD taking a lead role in keeping the junta decent for the referendum. The junta should just allow the centers to function. They just there to help the junta to detect fraud. Why is the junta so afraid of transparency. They should thank the UDD for using their resources to help make the referendum credible and give the junta a better image after they staged an illegal coup and caused a global PR meltdown.

The government did allow the opening of the centers, but UDD insist on sending their observers to polling stations to monitor the polls. Only the EC can observe and monitor the polls. The public is not allowed to do so, this is why the centers were shut down. The centers were only complaint centers, so no laws broken in the first place.

Ironically you are saying why the junta was afraid of transparency, while UDD and the PTP was in the exact same boat with their Rice Scheme.

The new constitution is giving the army a even tighter grip on power, some say this is to prevent further chaos in the years to come as a great storm is brewing (things going on behind the scenes).

Either way both the DEM and PTP seems to be on the same page regarding to the new constitution.

Edited June 22, 2016 by mike324

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Jutaporn has been convicted multiple times for multiple offenses, put that idiot in jail finally!!! It's where he belongs.

Give the idiot something to complain about.

[robblok]

Your leader and sponsor once said, "The UN is not my father"!

But but but... Thaksin.

W

But the remark is 100% valid, Thaksin the leader of the redshirts told the UN not to interfere and said its not my father and now when it suits him he will gladly use them. Just showing how hypocrite they all are.

When in power.. back off UN.... when not in power.. playing the victim using the UN.

[klauskunkel]

From the article:

“The powers that be see our Anti-Fraud Centers as a problem because they already know the result,” Jatuporn said Sunday. “They know what’s going to happen if they let the referendum go on. People who think they will win wouldn’t be acting like this. This is the behavior of people afraid they will lose.”

Well, Jatuporn, you are right, however, you should also by now know something about the behavior of people who think they can't lose.- it's quite destructive and it marks you forever with a stigma of wanting to burn things...

Jatuporn, you will never be taken for a decent, selfless and concerned human being, that train left the station long ago without you.

[mike324]

I can't believe anyone still supports this government. Just because you don't like the reds, doesn't mean you should buy into the anyone the them solution. That's what brought us to this point. When Suthep shut down the cities, preventing elections from taking place, shouted for people to kidnap the PM, people looked the other way. Now we're at this point, with a undemocratic charter, that you can't even speak out against without fear of an attitude adjustment. People who suggest monitoring the election get shut down, and no observers will be allowed to monitor the voting? If you described this situation to anyone three years ago they would have thought you were talking about Myanmar. Now it's okay.

If your reading this and thinking that is the way that it should be, then you should be ashamed of yourself.

Both the DEMS and PTP are at odds with the current government. Both do not support the new constitution, the UDD just have more balls to speak out. Whereas the DEMS just make small comment as they do not have balls of steel like the UDD leaders.

The only observers allow at the moment is the EC. But yes how good they are at their jobs is another story.

People are looking the other way because most don't care about the new constitution, it really does not effect them much at the moment. People care more about having a corrupt leader and such, they care about something more visible. Thais are not like westerners yet ...where the masses will stand up just for freedom of speech alone. This is also why where Thailand is where it is now.

[Winniedapu]

Interesting ploy. Of course the Un won't actually do anything about it, though they (and the international community) will doubtless keep it in mind.

But actually, that isn';t the reason either. The reason can be found in SunTzu - The art of war: "If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant".

The objective is to get right up Prayuth's nose so he loses his wig and does something stupid.

Sorry, "Does something else stupid".

Seems to have worked pretty well so far.

Winnie

[Eric Loh]

Seem only the UDD taking a lead role in keeping the junta decent for the referendum. The junta should just allow the centers to function. They just there to help the junta to detect fraud. Why is the junta so afraid of transparency. They should thank the UDD for using their resources to help make the referendum credible and give the junta a better image after they staged an illegal coup and caused a global PR meltdown.

The government did allow the opening of the centers, but UDD insist on sending their observers to polling stations to monitor the polls. Only the EC can observe and monitor the polls. The public is not allowed to do so, this is why the centers were shut down. The centers were only complaint centers, so no laws broken in the first place.

Ironically you are saying why the junta was afraid of transparency, while UDD and the PTP was in the exact same boat with their Rice Scheme.

The new constitution is giving the army a even tighter grip on power, some say this is to prevent further chaos in the years to come as a great storm is brewing (things going on behind the scenes).

Either way both the DEM and PTP seems to be on the same page regarding to the new constitution.

UDD is not asking for observer status. Observer status is under the purview of the EC and under NO circumstances will they grant the UDD observer status. So far, I believed the EC has only grant ANFREL that privilege. UDD is only asking for fraud monitoring centers. Totally different definition.

How did you come to the conclusion that the rice scheme was not transparent. The media, oppositions and activists had a field day exposing the scheme and even came out with their own audit and profit and loss figures.

Agree with you on the last para. Big price for the nation to pay for one man fear. Between the DEm and PTP, Ahbisit has been quite quiet recently and very guarded on his comment of the charter. Sporadic dig but no consistency. I doubt his sincerity.